Monday, October 3, 2011

AAPEX Very Short Halloween Play Contest Winner: Dr. Mary Weems

I'm pleased to announce that playwright Dr. Mary E. Weems has won our first Very Short Halloween Play Contest. By "Very Short," I mean a one-pager or less. You can read it below. Thanks to all who entered.

Jaz Dorsey

Get Ghost!

Mary E.Weems, Ph.D.

Characters:

Grim Reaper: Young Black male, 13 years old

Jamie: Young Black male, 13 years old

(Setting: Inner City Street. Halloween Night—Today)

(Young man walks out slowly wearing a long sheet w/holes cut out for eyes and mouth).

Jamie: What the—Oh Huh, bet you thought that scared me hunh? Hell naw—I just turned thirteen and mama said I’m a young man now. We did this ritual where she told me the story of my great-great grandfather—how he was a slave long time ago but didn’t last long cause the first time he was sent off the Plantation he was stopped by some stranger white folks lookin’ for a runaway slave. They tried to get him to tell on his friend Joe who was tryin’ to come what mama calls up North, but my great-great wouldn’t even give his own name. Joe heard everything cause they’d just been walkin’ together. He cried while he watched them beat my great-great grandfather senseless. Watched them drag him away. After that he run off but stopped long enough to tell another slave what happened. Mama said nobody saw her great-grandfather any more—It was Halloween that night too, mama said a full moon was out. Next morning great grandman swore until she died that she saw that old straw hat he used to wear layin’ on the ground in front of the big house door.

(Reaper walks across the stage carrying the hat in front of him while the boy turns)

Jamie: Hey! Wait a minute! Whose hat is that, wait!

Reaper; What do you want? It’s Halloween, I’m workin’ here—you know the scare business is big around here and it’s almost midnight—

Jamie: What you doin’ in this neighborhood?

Reaper: What you mean? Didn’t I just tell you I’m in the scare business? What are you doin’ dressed like a homeless ghost? Hmmmmm?

Jamie: And I’m not into costumes—Long time ago I went out on a night just like this. Mama thought I was going out with my friends Kenny, Johnny and Billy. They lived right down this street. When I went by their house they were already gone. It was raining hard that night, but I saw them a few blocks ahead on the other side of the street. I started to run. I hollered hey ya’ll wait up—and

Reaper: And?

Jamie: I slipped on the street, got ran over by a taxicab.

Reaper: What you mean?

Jamie: I mean I’m not into costumes---this don’t come off, get it? Now, get Ghost!